The difference between a cook and a chef ?

Discuss ?

[Chef David Simpson]

A cook is an experienced team player, a chef is a team leader. To say the least. A cook would is a person on one station, a chef can work all stations.

[Pastachef]

That is a very good explaination of the difference, ChefDavidSimpson. I do all of the 'stations' alone, and at one time had a small staff that I eventually lost due to budget cuts, but I'm far far from a chef. I'm happy being a cook though, and learning all that I can from you experienced chefs.

a chef is salaried, cooks get overtime and have to close the station

[Pastachef]

...But I'm salaried...

[Dlee]

Pastachef,

If I understand you, you do everything... hope you are getting a good salary.

Cooks do the actual everyday cooking.The chef manages the cooks, develops the menu, watches food cost / labor cost / etc... The chef manages the entire program. His name is on everything...

The chef is also a shrink, a H.R. rep., accountant, a writer, a teacher, a father, a mother, a friend, an enemy, just to name a few.

D.Lee

[Pastachef]

Gosh, Dlee, I do actually do all of that. I still wouldn't call myself a chef because I don't have the education or the certifications. I'm sure that I don't make what a chef makes, but I'm pretty happy with my salary. I didn't realize my dream of being a chef until it was too late to spend the years in getting the education. I am happy with what I do, but I will always look up to the people who have earned that title through years of education.

[ June 27, 2001: Message edited by: Pastachef ] I see a great big difference in being a cook and not a chef. I haven't developed the imagination and knowing that it takes to do the variety of exotic dishes that a chef has to do. I do one meal at a time. But that's one of the reasons I hang out here. To learn. Out of curiosity. Does a chef have to concern themselves with the nutritional aspects of a dish or menu?

[ June 27, 2001: Message edited by: Pastachef ]
ChefJohnPaul, That is a beautifully informative post, and Kuan, I think you might be right about that

[ June 27, 2001: Message edited by: Pastachef ]

[chefjohnpaul]

A chef has to concern his/herself with all aspects of the operation. If you don't have a person in the kitchen over you or you are in charge of your department you are a chef, either exec chef, working chef, or even chef de partie.

All chefs are cook but not all cooks are chefs. There are even different skill levels. One could actually be at a skill level where they would be a chef at a certain establishment where in a Michelin star operation perhaps they would be hired on as cooks.

I have two definitions, the technical one and the abstract one. First the technical, a chef literally in French means chief, this one would head their area of the operation. Either the whole sha-bang (exec chef) or under the exec (sous chef) sous is French for under. These ones may or may not cook the line, although they must know how, but they would manage the operation.

My abstract definition- a chef is someone who can master food, one who controls it, knows why things happen, how to troubleshoot. A chef is not stuck to a recipe, a chef can create recipes based on a working knowledge of ingredients and technique. A chef always asks why and finds answers that is added to an unlimited repitoire. A chef has passion and cooks from the head and the heart. A chef cooks because of a desire to and not just out of necessity. All chefs are cooks but not all cooks are chefs.

[shroomgirl]

Education=ing chef.....so many of the reknown did not go to culinary school.
I trully like your definition John Paul,so often number crunchers,prepared food bag openers are called chef...

[Kimmie]

I'm neither a cook nor a chef, just a foodie who loves to cook. I do agree with Shroom and congratulate JP for his beautiful post!

[kuan]

We are Chef, we are Jedi. When you get there you will know.

Kuan

[chefjohnpaul]

Hey, you guys ever dream of a dish then the next day go into the kitchen and replicate it or do it better? It's a great feeling isn't it? I truely feel to really be a good cook/chef that technique,timing,and organization are of the utmost importance.

You need to respect your ingredients and at the same time be the ingredient's master.

[Nick.Shu]

i would concur, knowledge of basics etc lend themselves to creativity as tools.

can do and what if go hand in hand in a kitchen. Plus the mastery of ingredients, staff, accounting and many other things make a chef.

Knowledge is a tool - use it.

[thebighat]

I know one thing that differentiates bakers from cooks--cooks are apparently missing the muscle group used to slide the cover closed on the flour bins in the bake shop.

[coolJ]

Originally posted by thebighat:
<STRONG>I know one thing that differentiates bakers from cooks--cooks are apparently missing the muscle group used to slide the cover closed on the flour bins in the bake shop.</STRONG>

That's because we're always sending the rookies for a half pound of diced flour.